Settlement may mean higher pay for pharma firm’s N.J. women

Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca, has agreed to settle a gender pay discrimination claim, and the con­sent decree that spells out the terms of the settlement could affect New Jersey women who work for the company.

A Department of Labor (DOL) investigation revealed that the women’s salaries averaged $1,700 less than their male counterparts.

As part of the settlement with the DOL’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, AstraZeneca must also conduct a statistical analysis of the base pay of 415 individuals employed full time as “primary care” and “specialty care” level III pharmaceutical sales specialists in New Jersey and 12 other states and the District of Columbia. If the analysis concludes that the women continue to be underpaid, the company will adjust salaries accordingly.

AstraZeneca must also update its affirmative action plan and maintain all appropriate documentation. Failure to abide by the consent decree could cost the company its existing federal contracts and make it ineligible to bid on future federal contracts.